Anna Sabine MP asks for travel restrictions to be lifted on Diamond Travel Pass

Anna Sabine MP asks for travel restrictions to be lifted on Diamond Travel Pass 

Writing to the Minister for Transport this week, Anna Sabine MP has asked for a reconsideration of bus pass accessibility to allow disabled users to get to and from their jobs. As it stands, users of the Diamond Bus Pass, which allows free travel on buses for senior citizens and those with disabilities, are restricted to ‘off peak’ use between 9am and 4am which means they cannot use it to get to jobs which start any earlier than 9am. 

The letter comes after Anna’s recent visit to Swallow in Radstock who work with over 170 teenagers and adults with learning difficulties, teaching them a range of skills for everyday life. Two young women who live in assisted living homes told Anna about their difficulty using their pass to commute. 

The restrictions on use during typical commuter hours, Anna said in her letter, “implies that those who are disabled don’t have jobs or need to travel before 9am”. The off-peak nature of the travelcard which is provided under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme but is run by local authorities, currently allows for travel during the day and the evening but Anna suggests councils “should look to make these travelcards 24 hours, or at least make the time in the morning earlier, as it would allow people to access their workplace”. 

The aim of travelcards is to support those disabled holders in living their lives as independently as possible but the restrictions on time can have a significant impact on the choices they can make in terms of jobs and and potentially impede their ability to thrive.  

Anna’s letter has been sent to Simon Lightwood, Minister for Local Transport and looks forward to a response.